I recently received the following painting from my Grandmother and need help identifying the artist (see attached signature and painting images). My knowledge of the painting's history is limited. It was previously acquired by the daughter of Emerson Price (book critic of the Cleveland Press). His daughter, Lynn Price, was an artist and children's book author. Sometime in the late 1950s or early 1960s she purchased this painting. Upon her death the painting was given by Mr. Price to my Grandfather and then from my Grandmother to me. Any help identifying the artist / time /etc. will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi
It's easier to make sense of the "signature" if you magnify it so that the letters are two-three inches tall. Then you can see the individual brushstrokes that form each letter. Then the part that looks like "prico" IS "price". The "o" is not. It's an "e". Follow the brushstrokes. The jumble of letters that look a goblet/cup or bird with wings spread begins with an L with the bottom stroke underlining "pr" as it lifts and fades from the canvas.. .

Now for a deep breath... The L is crossed by what appears as a "V" or "U" but is LIKELY the top of a "Y" since it shares the stem of the "L". There is a script ,not block, "e" between the left side of the "VorU" and the top of the "L" above the "VorU". It looks like the left half of an ampersand split vertically ( Look at the "&" on your keyboard). Finally a small "o", centerfilled, completes the monogram.

OPINION: The artist's last name IS Price. The first two initials are L for sure and likely a Y but possibly V or U or even W. The monogram messages: L_O_V_E .

Perhaps Lynn Price didn't buy the painting. She or another Price painted it. There are a number of artists named Price to be found. If you don't think Lynn is the one we can search further using combinations of L,V,Y, and W. Perhaps you can identify some of her ancestor initials...

For now, I'm stopping... Good Luck...